General
The
Theaters Program is designed to educate the student in basic theater
skills, such as pantomime, improvisation, role playing, puppetry, set
and costume design, production skills, acting, speech and performance.
An important goal is the development of the child's concentration
skills, self-confidence and body control.
Elementary
Drama (2-5)
Drama instruction begins in the second grade, when the primary focus is
on listening skills, creative movement and dramatic presentations of
choral reading and songs. In the third grade level, the program
deals mainly with improving concentration in the student through games,
exercises, music and simple choreography. In the fourth grade,
pantomime, role playing and improvisation are introduced. In the
fifth grade, acting skills, creating a character, rehearsal and
production routines and understanding a play are emphasized. In
this year, the student should be able to understand (from the actor's
viewpoint) the workings of a production from the audition to the
performance.
Middle
School Drama (6-8)
Sixth grade is a continuation and broadening of the performance
knowledge gained in previous years. With this emphasis on
performance, a new emphasis on technical skills is introduced.
Also, theater history and its relationship to acting styles and
technical theater styles and skills are explained. The Academy
has a special performance group that is auditioned at the sixth grade
level. They are called the Academy Clowns, a pantomime, song and
dance performing troupe.
By seventh and eighth grade, students are able to choose their focus in
theater. Available to them are classes in costume design and
construction, and set design and construction (which include lighting
and scenic painting). Students can also audition for after-school
dramatic performances and a performance group, the Academy Stars.
Productions
In addition to classes, the theatre program sponsors full dramatic
productions each year. Most are open to the entire school and the
public, and each is modeled after professional theater, from the
auditions, through rehearsals and technical time, to the final
performance.
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